In a variety of physiological applications, particularly dentistry, appliances are provided as fixed detachable components on the human body, usually mounted by means of one or more screws attached to a bony substrate. For example, dental applications commonly employ such appliances in the form of fixed artificial teeth, bridges, dentures and the like which are also detachable or removable. More broadly, such appliances may also take a variety of forms such as other physical features of the human body, particularly in connection with maxiofacial restoration where eyes, ears, noses, cheeks, etc. are removable attached to underlying structures.
In attaching such appliances to the underlying substrate, an axial opening (relative to the longitudinal axis of the artificial tooth, etc.) is normally formed in the appliances for receiving each screw. After the appliance has been secured in place, it is then necessary to close the axial opening.
Dental appliances such as those noted above are commonly formed with an abutment forming an outwardly opening recess of uniform diameter. Depending upon the application, the abutment may also be termed a waxing sleeve, sleeve, coping, etc. Regardless of the nomenclature, the invention particularly contemplates such an appliance wherein an opening recess is formed for receiving a screw or other attachment device.
In typical processes, particularly for dental applications, a plastic abutment is employed to form a mold cavity prior to casting of the actual appliance. Such processes are well known to those skilled in the art and are not described in further detail herein. In any event, where the abutment formed from plastic, elastomer or other material is used to form an impression or mold cavity, the abutment is then commonly "burned out" and replaced by a metal abutment means during the casting process. The metal abutment means may be formed from an alloy of gold with another metal or by titanium, for example. Thereafter, a reamer or similar tool is then commonly used to accurately form a uniform diameter along the length of the opening.
In dental applications, appliances such as teeth, dentures, etc. are formed with such openings which extend inwardly to a gingival end adjacent tissue surrounding the appliance. The outer end of the opening is commonly termed an occlusal end for posterior teeth or a lingual end for anterior teeth.
Accordingly, to cover both types of such appliances, the opening is referred to herein as an occlusal/lingual opening having an inner or gingival end and an outer or occlusal/lingual end.
In employing such appliances in dentistry, it has been common practice to employ amalgams, plastics, resins, etc. in a workable condition to form a plug in each occlusal/lingual opening. This process is relatively time consuming in that a period of as long as five minutes, for example, may be required to form each plug in such an appliance.
Of equal or even greater concern in the prior art, these plugs were difficult to remove and it was often necessary to drill out the plug material, often resulting in fracture or damage to the appliance.